Features

Last week’s Programme for Government marked one year as first minister for John Swinney and also fell exactly one year until voters go to the polls in arguably one of the most important Scottish elections since devolution, writes Scott Wright. The programme was brought forward by the first min

Katrina Ashbolt wouldn’t live or work anywhere but the Highlands. Growing up in Elgin, she always knew that she wanted to become a lawyer, having become hooked on courtroom dramas like LA Law from an early age. But, after leaving home to study in Aberdeen, she quickly realised that she wanted

Turning Point: The Vietnam War, NetflixThe new five-part documentary series on the Vietnam war, now available on Netflix, charts the course of the war and skilfully explores how the Vietnam debacle has weakened American democracy and continues to do so. It may lack the subtlety and incredible show-d

Hostilities ended in Europe 80 years ago today on 8 May 1945. This was commemorated as Victory in Europe Day (VE). Along with everyone else, the legal profession in Scotland was impacted by the deaths of a number of its members. To remember those who died, the WS Society compiled a list of their mem

The EU’s sweeping reform of product liability law contrasts sharply with the UK’s more tentative approach, write Paola Sproul and Mark Gibson. The EU and the UK are undergoing significant overhauls of their product liability regimes, primarily driven by the need to address challenges pos

It is a curious fact, strange but true, that the best books on Spain are written by foreigners. It is impossible to think of Andalucía without Irish writer Gerald Brenan springing to mind. The lives and careers of the poet Lorca and film-maker Buñuel are likewise synonymous with anothe

Scottish building and fire safety regulations are set to change significantly in light of the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry, writes Katherine Metcalfe. The Scottish Government’s acceptance of all recommendations from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire signals further significant cha

In the wake of World Intellectual Property Day, Alastair Smith explores the crucial significance of intellectual property rights in protecting the creative work and ensuring the commercial success of musicians and composers. It is arguably the most iconic movie signature tune of all time, recognisab

Plans to reward people who report corporate crime within their own organisation are to be taken forward by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over the next year, writes Tom Stocker. In its latest annual business plan the SFO lists “progress whistleblower incentivisation reform” as

With this book Dr Kennedy, a lecturer in Scottish history at the University of Dundee, provides a substantial analysis of crime in late seventeenth-century Scotland. The limitation is ‘serious’ crime, which is to say that prosecuted in the Justiciary Court, the central court with crimina

The Society of Advocates in Aberdeen is a professional body of legal practitioners in Aberdeen and the northeast of Scotland, incorporated by three Royal Charters in 1774, 1799, and 1862. The Society’s roots date back to at least the 16th century, and historically it was responsible for the tr

On 16 April 2025, the UK's Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the terms "woman," "man," and "sex" in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex at birth. This landmark judgment provides clarity on a contentious legal issue, but also creates practical considerations for organisations seeking to

New US tariffs (who knows where things will land) could well increase material costs and delay supply chains across the UK and Scottish construction sectors. Add to that investor uncertainty and currency fluctuations, and the risks are clear, writes Jennifer Young. Now’s the time to revisit co

The bland generalities, often of pure hatred, in a war of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ take on a different perspective when faced directly with one of the enemy. A live prisoner of war may attract sheer animosity, or worse, but the remains of a dead combatant, by definition not exuding

Following the Scottish government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry report, Caroline Maciver highlights the implications so far for the sector and calls for more clarity to help it progress under the new regulatory regime.  Last month, Holyrood’s housing minister Paul McLennan upda